who surprised and who disappointed

SURPRISES:

Talking Heads: Reluctantly agreed to go with a friend to see them. After the show, I drove around NorCal to see their next three concerts.

Kings X: Every song, even those that miss on CD, is explosive live. Tightest band I've ever seen, they sound like one mind playing three instruments simultaneously.

Dylan: Once show a big surprise, another a big disappointment.

Springsteen in a stadium: He worked it like a small nightclub.

Eminem & Dr. Dre: Two of the most captivating performers I've ever seen. I like their recordings well enough, but in concert they blew the doors off!

Meat Puppets: Sleepy on the recordings, rippin' live.

Nels Cline Singers: Nels Cline is the most compelling, masterful musician I've ever seen.

Throwing Muses: Good recordings (especially "Limbo"), but amazing in concert.

Soundgarden: I saw them at a surprise gig at a small club. They sounded monolithic.

Primus: Used to see them do afternoon gigs at a little bar on Haight Street. They were far too big for the local circuit, and quickly proved to be.

Spin Doctors: Not what you'd expect to see at a little bar on 2nd Ave in NYC. Soon thereafter, they shot to fame.

DISAPPOINTMENTS:

Catherine Wheel: More energy & creativity on the recordings than live.

Milton Nascimento: A musical hero of mine, he sat on a stool the entire night. Boring.

Biggest disapointment in person was Weather Report years ago. The biggest surprise this year so far is a tie: Conner Oberst- Bright Eyes, and Jeff Tweety solo, both are consumate musicians and obsessive about their sound.

Harry Chapin (but now you know how old I am).

His records were mediocre at best, but I loved his concerts (especially when I got to see him in some very small venues on college campuses)

Disappointed: Most "pop" artists disappoint in live performances...Duran Duran, Spice Girls, Dido, Rod Stewart are some of the worst I can recall but there are many others. They depend on good producers/engineers and many takes IMHO. It is mostly the vocals that don't hold up.

Surprises: Tom Petty. Queen.Alanis Morrisette. Average White Band. Bryan Adams. INXS. M People. Cleo Lane.

Mediocre: Simple minds, U2, Genesis were all reasonable live but much better in the studio. Stones do a great show but don't sound nearly as good as they do in the studio.

I could go on and on...